mad tea party and pink saturday!

Make sure to scroll down to see both of my posts for this FUN Saturday! I don't want anyone to miss my pink Saturday post, it is so cute!!! :) I hope everyone is enjoying a lovely weekend! xo!

down the rabbit hole and to the mad tea party......

As I wake up to a buzzing noise, I remember that today is the day I throw a whimsical party in honor of A Fanciful Twist's Mad Tea Party..... let's get ready to enjoy the soiree!
I have been preparing my "home" in order for you visit... picking flowers, baking scrumptious treats, and displaying tea cups around my lovely "wonderland" of a home... I can't wait for you all to see!
But first I must get dressed and be fancy for this special occasion! Red shoes will be appropriate for today's festivities...
And of course, I need to adorn myself with feathers.... a perfect mask for a "carnivale" escape today..
My chandeliers are dripping with embellishments... butterflies, crystals, twinkle lights....
....even a few teacups hanging on the chandelier will set the mood for a perfect "mad tea party"!

I need to set out the crowns for my guests... please take one and wear it! You will feel a bit like a queen, which is always lovely! And of course the glitter is essential!
My favorite sparkly birdies would like to join in on the fun today... "Pinkie" is sitting in a teacup ready for the day!
"Petal" has been waiting for weeks to don her new bright blue flower pin.. doesn't she looks stunning?! :)
"Queen Bee" just can't go anywhere without some sort of proper crown atop her head...
And of course there is silly little "Sugar Beak," who has decided to sit in a few frilly cupcake liners today.. she found them lying around while I was baking for you all and hasn't budged since!

I am setting out my fanciest tea sets, so please our yourself a cup of tea and "drink" up!
Or perhaps you would like a yummy cupcake in your teacup instead?? :) And the beautiful flowers were picked fresh from my garden this morning... it all just looks so beautiful!
On your way out, don't hesitate- grab another rosey cupcake for the stroll home! They are so delicious, and they are a token of my gratitude for spending a dazzling party here with me.....
I was "led down the rabbit hole" today to immerse myself in a sparkling imaginary world, and I thank you very much for coming to enjoy a "party" here with me... And Mr. Rabbit thanks you too!
Enjoy your stroll back home..... and don't forget to visit Vanessa, who is the true host for this fancy and fabulous tea party! Thank you for throwing such a grand and lovely day for us all! I hope to come visit all of your parties today, so please say hello and I will be sure to visit you as soon as I can! xoxox!

pink saturday!!

"whoever said orange was the new pink,

was seriously disturbed."

-elle woods

When I think of the color pink, I immediately think of the lovely Elle Woods from Legally Blonde. This is one of my all-time favorite movies, and of course, Reese Witherspoon is one of my absolute favorite actresses. While a lot of people think this may be a goofy, fluffy, little movie, I really loved it... I loved the story, I loved the characters, and I loved the message. If you have never seen Legally Blonde, go watch it!! There is enough pink in the movie to last a lifetime. ;) Thanks Beverly, for hosting another lovely Pink Saturday!!! xoxox!

thank you!!! <3

Hello friends... I just wanted to extend my gratitude and say THANK YOU to all of you who participated in our "vacation" yesterday! It was so much fun to get to know other bloggers, and experience a whirlwind of vacations, all from the comfort of my desk chair! So thank you, thank you, thank you... and I might be posting a "getaway" each Thursday, so sneak a peek if you can and I will include a Mr. Linky list so you can participate as well! :)

Well, I want to wish everyone a beautiful weekend and include a pretty picture on my blog that I keep wanting to post. Aren't those flowers gorgeous??? I am in the mood to "pretty" up my rooms, so hopefully I can get to that this week. On to a few more things...

Along with Pink Saturday this week, which I always love, there is another special "party" happening! Vanessa over at A Fanciful Twist is hosting a 200th post Tea Party, so check it out tomorrow!!

And I have finally posted some new things in my Etsy shop!! Please take a peek.. I just love the new cards and I hope someone finds something they like!! Enjoy your weekend, and hope to see you all tomorrow for the "events"! xo!

New thank you card! Button flowers! :)

New baby card! Is that pram to die for or what?! :)

New Amy Butler tags, yay!!

V A C A T I O N !!

Pack up your things, ladies, because we are off on vacations of all shapes and sizes! Even though a lot of us are stuck at home for the summer due to sky-high gas prices and vacation costs, that doesn't mean we can't plan an amazingly fun make believe vacation!! Post pictures, write a bit about your choice of vacation, and let us in on all the details! By the end of the day, we all will have traveled all over the world...! :)

My mom, Heidi, and I are so happy to be hosting this fun event!!!! At the end of this blog, I have listed all of our participants and I hope you all can get to everyone's pages and see where everyone has chosen to "travel" today! If you visit a blog, leave them a comment to let them know you popped in... get to know new bloggers and have FUN on vacation!!! Now let's get started......

I am packing up all my prettiest dresses, jewelry and favorite shoes to take with me on my lovely destination today!!

I will have a long plane ride today, so I need a comfy sweater to travel in.... but of course, I'll toss on some fabulous heels! Here I go on the plane ride across the US and further, all the way across the Atlantic to........................

ITALY!!!!

Since I have never been to Europe, I thought I would pick one place on my list of places to visit! I am an art history major and have been entranced with Italy for a while now, wanting to visit Florence, Rome, Tuscany and Venice to check out all sorts of amazing and historical places and pieces of art. I was racking my brain today trying to figure out which city to travel to, or if I should hop from one to another, but finally decided on Venice!

Venice, the "city of water," the "city of bridges," and the "city of lights," and one of the most beautiful cities in the world. I thought this was an ideal place to "visit" today... what a perfect place to spend a summer vacation and explore! In Venice, the modes of transportation are either walking or by boats.. how wonderful is that? The canals serve as "roads" and there are NO cars allowed in the city...

I figured I might as well book a reservation at a splendid five star hotel overlooking the water, a suite complete with a garden terrace... I will nibble on a croissant and some fruit before going out to explore the city...

A crisp morning greets me in this amazing city....
Maybe I should take a gondola ride and try to get a personal tour of the buildings and history of Venice..
Possibly a quick stop at an airy, outdoor cafe, sipping on a cup of coffee while people watching...

Lunch at a gorgeous patio restaurant....

Then it is back to check out the hotel a bit more, maybe curl up in my fantastically ornate and upholstered bed to catch up some reading before venturing out in the city once again...
Fresh flowers, velvet plush chairs, fabric, wallpaper, beautiful lighting.... in short, the perfect vacation suite for myself!
And check out the view from my bedroom window.. right out to the heart of Venice and the gorgeous waterways... And now it is out to experience the city a bit more..
Travelling through the canals in order to do a bit of afternoon sight-seeing..
Stopping to admire and bask in the grandeur of Basilica di San Marco a Venezia... or more simply, St. Mark's Basilica. This is one of the Byzantine buildings that I have studied in art history courses, and it awed me in pictures alone, so experiencing it in person must be jaw-dropping. (I am really trying to imagine myself standing there looking up at the architecture of the cathedral....!!)
Looking across St, Mark's Square to the cathedral... what a breath-taking example of art at it's best. Hopping a gondola to travel around a bit more before it gets too dark... I still need to see the Doge's Palace before going back to my hotel..... ;)
Strolling down a narrow lane between these age-old buildings....
I will grab a bite to eat before heading down to the water's edge once again...

And here is the amazing Doge's palace, another of my "things to see" around Italy from my art classes... originally a palace home for the Doge of Venice, this is a classic example of a gothic-style architecture. The beautiful columns line the edges of the building, both inside and out.
Another view of the Doge's Palace, strolling underneath the columns and massive construction of this palace.... a place that anyone would have to visit if they travelled to Venice.
And finally, my day is coming to an end in Venice, Italy. The sun is setting on the city, the water, and my vacation. It was an amazingly inspirational "day" here in Venice and I am so glad I could share my make-believe travels with you all.
Let's pack up those bags and get back to our cozy homes, which we can appreciate so much more after a day away.. :) I hope you all enjoyed my trip, as well as everyone else's over the course of today. Visit the participants and say hello to each other... it is always nice to make a new friend, and what better way to get to know people than step into a dream vacation with them.. Bon Voyage and enjoy your trips!!!! Thank you so much for all of you who have designated today as "Let's Go on Vacation"!! xoxoxox

1. Heidi from Foxgloves, Fabric & Folly
2. Alicia from Butterfly*Gems
3. Cecilia from Nifty
4. Madrin Designs
5. Tonya from PuddinPop
6. Mallory from Mallory D. and her Big Bodacious Blooms
7. Rachel from Cherry Tree Lane
8. BJ from Sweet Nothings
9. Jeanne from Backyard Neighbor
10. Mya from Creative Musings
11. Vintage Girl at Heart
12. Diane at A Picture is Worth 1000 Words
13. BrainMosaic
14. Cole from My Menagerie
15. Kari and Kijsa from Ask Kari and Kijsa
16. Beverly from How Sweet the Sound
17. Molly from Molly B.'s
18. Rhonda from Scooterblu's Whimsy
19. Shaybert from thirtyandholding
20. Joanna at Sweet Finds
21. Brittainy at The Litany of Brittainy
22. Melissa at The Inspired Room
23. Shirl at Shirl's Rose Cottage
24. Jan at Jan and Tom's Place
25. Jill at Bailiwick Designs
26. Schotzy at Wings of Eagles

**It is never too late to sign up... please post a blog with your dream vacation still, and email me! Ill add your blog to the list so you won't miss out. :)

a change of scenery

It is a good thing I will be going on "vacation" with you all this Thursday, even if it is only via our blogs! I am in desperate need of a change of scenery lately, feeling a bit cooped up in the same old routine. I guess it is just the time of year when a lot of people seem to be headed off for summer vacations, summers at the lake, weekends here and there. And I guess I am feeling like I need to get away for a bit, too. Not that enjoying our pool and day-to-day life is a bad thing, I really do enjoy it and I am very lucky. It is just that need for a change of pace, a new surrounding, a change of scenery! So this morning I am settling for a beautiful blog post of lovely lake pictures, imagining I was sitting my coffee listening to the peachful lapping of the lake.....
Oooooh how peaceful does that look???
I could settle for bringing my book out there and catching up on some summer reading....
A picture that looks rainy???? Definitely my kind of lake vacation!!!! This hot weather is dragging me down! :)

OK, I feel much better and feel like I have had a morning at the lake. I really do enjoy blogging and am able to vent just a bit from time to time and know that it is ok. It is wonderful to escape into other people's blogs too, and I so appreciate all of the blog-friends I have made in the past few months. Can't wait to share my super-vacation with you all!!! And sign up if you haven't already!

Now it is off to enjoy a child-free day while Andrew is with his dad. Then off to the Wild Animal Park this evening with the two of them, along with our wonderful playgroup! Hope you are all enjoying a lovely day, wherever you are, lake or not! :) xo!